Forest Management Commons^™

Applied Forest Restoration And Conservation In Michigan: Advancing American Beech Restoration And Documenting A Historical Insect Collection, Thomas E. Panella

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Forest restoration and conservation require both practical management approaches and the preservation of biological resources that support future research. This dissertation presents applied research conducted in Michigan that advances American beech (Fagus grandifolia) restoration in response to beech bark disease (BBD) while documenting an important historical entomological resource. Chapters 1–3 focus on overcoming practical barriers to American beech restoration. Restoration protocols were developed and refined for identifying BBD-resistant trees, graft propagation, rootstock collection, container production, and the field establishment of grafted BBD-resistant trees. A greenhouse experiment evaluated the influence of growing media and fertilization on container stock quality, …

Relict Ponderosa Pine Mortality And Fuels Study In The Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana, Usa, Laura K. Schimmel

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Many forests have historically experienced mixed-severity fire regimes that were disrupted during the 20th century due to fire exclusion policy. A stand of relict Pinus ponderosa in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex that burned in 2003, 2011, and 2018 provides a unique case study for investigating the effects of returned fire to the landscape. Many of the trees have fire scars or Indigenous bark-peeling scars, preserving valuable ecological and anthropological history. We sought to determine whether scarred trees were more susceptible to fire damage, if larger trees had greater fire resilience than smaller trees, and if fuel loads have changed …

Growth, Survival, And Herbivore Browsing Preferences Of Seedlings Planted In Black Ash Stands Of Northern Michigan And Wisconsin, Seth W. Davenport

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

To mitigate the cascading ecosystem impacts of widespread black ash (Fraxinus nigra) mortality due to the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), forested wetlands can be underplanted with seedlings of alternative species that later repopulate the vacated canopy. This study examined the survival and growth, factors influencing performance, and herbivore browsing preferences of seven non-ash species planted in northern Michigan and Wisconsin. The best performing species were river birch (Betula nigra), silver maple (Acer saccharinum), and swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor). The worst performing species was black spruce (Picea …

Risk Of Oak Wilt Expanding Northward: Examining Nitidulidae Vector Communities And Host Phenology Beyond The Current Disease Range, Kathleen E. Bershing

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Oak wilt is a fatal fungal pathogen to oak trees, caused by the fungus Bretziella fagacearum. This fungus targets oak species (Quercus spp.), where members of the red oak group (sect. Lobatae) are at greatest risk of mortality. Oak wilt is widespread throughout the eastern United States, currently present in 24 states. Recently in 2023, oak wilt was detected in trees for the first time in Canada. Although removed from the locations of the first Canadian detections, there is continual concern that the range of oak wilt is at risk for expansion northward. This is further evident …

Aboveground Biomass Density Estimation Using Deep Learning: Insight From Neon Ground-Truth Data And Simulated Gedi Waveform, Ashish Mahaur

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Accurately estimating Aboveground Biomass Density (AGBD) is crucial for managing Earth's carbon cycle and informing climate strategies. NASA's GEDI mission advances global forest mapping, but traditional linear models often yield less reliable AGBD estimates. This study enhances AGBD estimation using deep learning models with NEON ground-truth data and simulated GEDI waveforms. We compared 1D CNNs, LSTMs, and pre-trained CNNs to traditional models. The ResNet152 model outperformed linear regression, achieving an R² of 0.68, demonstrating a 17% improvement. Our experiments also demonstrate the importance of large, diverse datasets, particularly for training deep learning models.

Validation And Improvement Of Forest Health Risk Maps: A Case Study With Maple Decline/Dieback, Joseph R. Beeson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Forest health data collected in a two-phased survey of maple dieback was used to build on previous work, extending analysis into mapping implications. Using the National Insect and Disease Risk Maps (NIDRM) published by the US Forest Service as a baseline, we compared our collected data from 2009-2012 and 2021-2022 with the published 240m resolution sugar maple decline risk map, finding the NIDRM map to be a poor predictor of sugar maple dieback measured at the plots. Measured sugar maple crown dieback was also compared to measured soil characteristics and nutrient levels, and augmented with soil survey maps and long-term …

Hydrologic Pathways Of A Northern Hardwood Catchment In The Great Lakes Basin Using End Member Mixing Analysis, Cory C. Burkwald

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This study investigated the seasonality of hydrologic pathways, the role of wetlands in streamflow generation, and how hydrologic pathways affect the export of nutrients by streamflow in the Sturgeon River using endmember mixing analysis. The results indicated that streamflow consists of three main components: shallow subsurface water from wetland soils, shallow groundwater, and surface runoff from precipitation. Snowmelt plays a dominating role in regulating stream water chemistry (~80% volume at peak) during the snowmelt season and likely also after that. Wetland soils store snowmelt, together with rainwater though the fraction is unknown, and then gradually release through summer in the …

Impacts Of Introduced Earthworms On Sugar Maple Sap Chemistry And The Discourse Of Invasion Ecology, Shelby Nicole Lane-Clark

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

To delve into further understanding of the relationships between introduced earthworms, forest ecosystems, and the human systems they impact, two approaches were taken. In the first approach, we seek to explore ways we can shift the discourse within and regarding the field of invasion ecology by re-framing how we approach discussion, management, and education regarding introduced species. Language issues surrounding introduced species through the example of earthworms in North America are described and potential solutions are provided, including a repositioned perspective that may facilitate better relationships with the natural world. The goal is to shift the language to be more …

Common Garden Study Reveals Frost-Tolerant, Generalist Northern Seed Sources Are Best Suited To Expand Range Of Quercus Rubra, Emily Lindback

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Climate change is shifting the potential suitable range of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) faster than it can migrate, creating an adaptation lag. Quercus rubra is prominent in eastern North American forests and important for its carbon sequestration, ecological roles, and economic significance. Our study addresses which populations of Q. rubra are best suited for climatic conditions at the northern and central range limits. Our findings can inform forestry management policies such as assisted migration, where species are transferred within their native range to mitigate the effects of climate change. We planted over 800 Q. rubra seedlings …

Effects Of Dissimilar Silvicultural Techniques On Small Mammal Communities In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Breanna R. Gusick

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Small mammal populations, and predators reliant upon them as food resources, are often challenged by conflicting objectives of timber production and maintenance of quality habitat. With over 70% of the landscape forested, and nearly one-third of the land privately owned, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) is a matrix of independent management strategies. To assess the effects of various silvicultural regeneration methods on small mammal populations in the Upper Peninsula, we trapped small mammals in experimental silviculture plots, whereby treatments varied by regeneration method (amount of residual canopy cover) and site preparation (i.e., control, tip-up, and scarification), and deer exclosures. We used …

Decadal Reevaluation Of Sugar Maple Dieback Etiology Across The Upper Great Lakes Region, Mattison E. Brady

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a foundational tree species in northern hardwood forests of the United States and Canada. Though previous work has documented areas of substantial stress for this species in eastern North America, increasing reports of crown dieback in the Upper Great Lake states through the early 2000’s highlighted the relative lack of understanding of regional trends and causes. A 120-plot network of maple forest health monitoring sites was established and annually visited across Upper Michigan, northern Wisconsin, and eastern Minnesota between 2009 and 2012 to catalog and understand the regional phenomenon.

Results from the project’s …

Fine Scale Mapping Of Laurentian Mixed Forest Natural Habitat Communities Using Multispectral Naip And Uav Datasets Combined With Machine Learning Methods, Parth P. Bhatt

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Natural habitat communities are an important element of any forest ecosystem. Mapping and monitoring Laurentian Mixed Forest natural communities using high spatial resolution imagery is vital for management and conservation purposes. This study developed integrated spatial, spectral and Machine Learning (ML) approaches for mapping complex vegetation communities. The study utilized ultra-high and high spatial resolution National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) datasets, and Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Complex natural vegetation community habitats in the Laurentian Mixed Forest of the Upper Midwest. A detailed workflow is presented to effectively process UAV imageries in a dense forest environment …

Regeneration Patterns In Silvicultural Openings Of Western Great Lakes Northern Hardwood Forests 15-24 Years Post-Harvest, Matthew S. Vandermolen

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In managed northern hardwood forests, successful forest regeneration can depend on the application of silvicultural methods tailored to stand-specific recruitment limitations. The objective of this research is to develop a deeper understanding of the factors that interfere with tree regeneration at three long-term, well-replicated experimental canopy gap studies in the upper Great Lakes region, USA. Chapter 2 examines regeneration at a hemlock canopy gap study 18 years post-harvest that included deer exclosures and a gradient of gap sizes. Chapter 3 investigates the spatial patterns of low-density regeneration along gradients of gap size and different levels of legacy-tree retention at two …

Development Of A Propagation Program For Beech Bark Disease-Resistant American Beech (Fagus Grandifolia) And An Applied Restoration Plan For Mitigation Of Beech Bark Disease, Ande Myers

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This dissertation describes the work accomplished towards mitigation of beech bark disease (BBD) through a joint venture by Michigan Technological University and the National Park Service. American beech is an ecologically important species that is threatened throughout its range by beech bark disease and other newer, emergent pressures such as climate change and beech leaf disease. A literature review is included to synthesize recent advances in American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) propagation and their application in mitigation of BBD (Chapter 2). These concepts are examined in an applied restoration framework to outline the importance of understanding ecological and technological …

Impacts Of Forest Tax Programs On Property Tax Rates In Michigan's Upper Peninsula And Northern Wisconsin, Elsa Schwartz

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Forest tax programs offer reduced property taxes to private forest owners as incentive to sustainably manage their forests and to encourage the provision of ecosystem services. They also protect forests from conversion to other land uses and ensure the viable supply of timber for forest products industries. Despite the benefits that these programs provide, they can negatively impact local municipalities by reducing the property tax base, which can then cause local governments to increase tax rates for non-preferential properties in order to maintain revenue needed to run their services. This shifts the tax burden from participating properties to nonparticipating properties. …

Evaluating Long-Term Growth And Yield In Upper Great Lakes Region Northern Hardwoods Cutting Trials, Maeve Draper

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Common partial cutting management methods in Lake States hardwoods include both selection management and diameter-limit cuttings. Single-tree selection in particular is a widely prescribed silvicultural system in northern hardwoods and has an established history of use throughout the entire range of the forest type. Using data from two historic silvicultural studies, long-term comparison of single-tree selection methods and other partial cutting practices in northern hardwoods reveals that single-tree selection to higher residual basal areas, as widely applied in Great Lakes northern hardwood forests, is inferior using financial and volume yield criteria. Alternatives that remove more of the larger trees appear …

Understory Dynamics Across 62-Years Of A Northern Hardwood Management Gradient Study, Heidi Harmala

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Northern hardwood selection silviculture relies on the perpetuation of natural regeneration. However, many researchers and forest managers have concerns about deficiencies in regeneration and the associated ingrowth and recruitment of advance regeneration under single-tree selection. Given the differences of management application in the Great Lakes region, long-term studies and datasets are critical to understanding of how these systems function and change. Using the Cutting Methods Study, in the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, these concerns were investigated with a multi-decadal dataset, for understory tree species composition and density, diversity, recruitment, and age-diameter relationships across management methods. In response to the …

Regional Impacts Of Invasive Species And Climate Change On Black Ash Wetlands, Joseph Shannon

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

For more than a decade intensive research on the ecohydrology of black ash wetland ecosystems has been performed to understand these systems before they are drastically altered by the invasive species, emerald ash borer (EAB). In that time there has been little research aimed at the scale and persistence of the alterations. Three distinct but related research articles will be presented to demonstrate a method for moderate resolution mapping of black ash across its entire range, understand the relative impacts of EAB and climate change on probable future wetland conditions, and develop an experimental and modeling approach to quantify and …

The Influence Of Landforms And Sampling Approaches On Riparian Buffer Area And Complexity, Houjun Ding

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

A riparian area is a zone of interaction between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Delineating accurate riparian management zones (RMZs), often utilized in Best Management Practices (BMPs) for wetlands and stream protection, is important. The Riparian Buffer Delineation Model (RBDM) has been used extensively for accurate RMZs delineation. Utilizing the validated RBDM generates additional questions about riparian area form and function, which will ideally lead to an improved understanding of the ecological process within these zones. This study aims to determine how geomorphic landforms and their associated landscape characteristics influence riparian areas in terms of shape and complexity, whether sampling methods …

The Interactive Effects Of Microtopography And Hydrology On Ground Layer Vegetation And Soil Gas Flux Responses To A Simulated Emerald Ash Borer Infestation In Black Ash Wetlands, Elisabeth Stimmel

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Black ash (Fraxinus nigra Marshall) wetlands are at risk of significant ecological and functional changes due to the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)), which kills trees in the Fraxinus (ash) genus. Simulated EAB infestations consisting of girdle treatments and ash cut treatments have been implemented in black ash wetlands to study the impacts of black ash canopy dieoff in these systems. Initial findings include ground layer vegetation shifts and impacts to carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) release from soils, but these factors and their interactions with microtopography in …

Northern Hardwood Silviculture: Preferences Among Family Forest Owners In The Western Upper Peninsula Of Michigan, Alexander C. Helman

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In the northern hardwood forests of the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, single-tree selection is the most commonly used silvicultural system. This system provides both a sustained yield of timber and attempts to emulate the windfall disturbance regime that determines the uneven aged structure of northern hardwood forests. However, with concerns about tree species diversity loss and a lack of early successional forests, even-aged regeneration methods are likely to become an increasingly crucial tool in the toolbox for managing northern hardwood forests of the Lake States. The forests of the Western Upper Peninsula are comprised of a mosaic of ownerships, …

Reexamining The Utility Of Existing Climate Adaptation Frameworks Through Application On A Northern Forest, Alexander Rice

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

A review of the literature reveals the strengths and limitations of various climate adaptation frameworks and illuminates a general path by which a type of adaptation can be achieved. A number of useful frameworks exist but the number of independent case studies demonstrating the adaptation process in a detailed manner is much more limited. Additionally, components of the various adaptation processes can often seem vague and concepts such as adaptability ill-defined. For land managers approaching climate adaptation independently can be difficult, particularly in the areas of goal creation and vulnerability assessment. Within frameworks where user-defined adaptation goals dictate whether or …

Perceptions Of Forest Change In The Governmental Region Of Kaffrine, Senegal, Rhiley E. Allbee

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Sénégal is a semi-arid West African country with a diverse ethnic makeup and a rapidly growing population that is largely rural, predominantly employed within the agricultural sector, and heavily reliant on the harvesting of forest products within state owned forests where populations have usufruct rights. The country experienced significant changes in land cover throughout the 20^th century due to a series of major droughts and large expansions in agriculture. These changes were partially concentrated throughout the region of Kaffrine, where the wooded savannas of the early 20^th century were systematically replaced by agriculture and converted to a shrub …

Harvest Intensity And Delineation Of Outwash Soils In Wisconsin, Robert Richard

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The whole-tree harvest of an oak forest showed significant decreases to total nitrogen and potassium pools, and the calcium pool showed weaker evidence for significant declines in comparison to the stem-only harvest. Simulated whole-tree harvests in aspen decreased the total number of rotations by a full rotation on nutrient-poor outwash soils (Entic Haplorthods and Typic Udipsamments) by depleting the potassium, calcium, and magnesium pools in 180 years from whole-tree harvest in comparison to 225 years in the stem-only harvest. Nitrogen and phosphorus harvest removals did not compose a large percentage of ecosystem pools. Since harvest removals for some elements exceed …

Plant Community Response To Novel Silvicultural Treatments In Great Lakes Northern Hardwoods, Stefan F. Hupperts

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The objective of this dissertation is to assess plant community response across a range of silvicultural disturbances and test ecological hypotheses to better inform ecologists and forest managers. To provide context for the utility of revising silvicultural systems, I review natural disturbance regimes and historical practices that have shaped contemporary Great Lakes northern hardwood forests (Chapter 2). Further, I identify important ways to expand the silvicultural toolbox and better emulate natural disturbance regimes. Building on this theoretical underpinning, I investigate the initial regeneration and plant community response to two novel silvicultural experiments: the Northern Hardwood Experiment for Enhancing Diversity (NHSEED) …

Assessing Soil Compaction Following A Winter Timber Harvest In The Western Upper Peninsula Of Michigan, Rafia Rahman

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Harvesting during winter is encouraged as a best management practice to protect soil during logging operations. The western Upper Peninsula of Michigan typically experiences early and persistent snowfall, which insulates the forest floor and prevents soils from freezing. The objective of this study is to assess the effects of slash volume, snow depth, overstory treatment, and machine traffic intensity on soil bulk density following a winter harvest of a northern hardwood forest on cobbly silt-loam soils. The harvest was conducted at the Ford Forest in Alberta, Michigan using cut-to-length harvest systems (i.e. harvester and forwarder) during which the soil remained …

Estimation Of Dbh Using Tree Variables Derived From Aerial Lidar For Ford Forest, Baraga, Michigan, Tugay Demiraslan

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This study implemented LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) remote sensing technology and applied ITD (Individual Tree Detection) methods as an approach to estimate some essential tree variables, such as DBH (Diameter at Breast Height), height, volume, and biomass for Ford Forest Research Center in Upper Peninsula, Michigan. There were 34 deciduous (1 bigtooth aspen, 9 red oaks, 20 sugar maples, 2 white birches, and 2 yellow birches) and 17 coniferous (2 eastern hemlocks, 11 red pines, and 4 white pines) subject tree species. There were two different available LiDAR datasets from the same area that were collected in 2011 and …

Above-Ground Biomass And Carbon Estimations And Recommendations For Forests In Turkey, Cuma Uykun

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation are issues that are tightly related to the environment and the public’s awareness of forest conservation, which are currently major areas of global interest. Greenhouse gas emissions and removals are required to be reported regularly (5 year intervals) and in compliance with the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) of 1992, which was later extended by the Kyoto Protocol International Treaty. The UNFCCC`s policy has been accepted by more than 150 countries. Turkey`s forests are controlled and managed by the government and some major tree species still need to have their own …

The Influence Of Native Woody Species, Combretum Glutinosum And Piliostigma Reticulatum, On Soil Fertility In Dialacoto, Senegal, Gwen Jacobson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

In the low-fertility soils of Senegal, West Africa, management of woody species in agricultural fields has the potential to improve soil fertility and crop production. However, optimal species for this purpose have not been clearly defined. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the potential for two native woody species, Combretum glutinosum and Piliostigma reticulatum, to improve soil fertility. Soil samples were collected from beneath tree crowns of P. reticulatum and C. glutinosum and compared with fertilizer-amended and non-amended soil from adjacent open fields in a bioassay experiment. Two common crops, millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and maize (Zea mays), …

Dynamics Of Wild Red Raspberry (Rubus Idaeus L.) And The Influence On Tree Regeneration Within Silvicultural Openings In A Northern Hardwood Stand, Matthew J. Widen

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Previous studies have investigated how the abundance of raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.) impacts tree regeneration, but few have linked these impacts to location within canopy openings with a legacy tree. To fill this knowledge gap, we investigated the presence, abundance, and location of raspberries within openings containing legacy trees and the resulting impacts on tree regeneration. During the winter of 2003, 49 openings were created of three sizes: small, medium, large and 20 reference single-tree selection sites in a northern hardwood stand in Ford Forest near Alberta, Michigan. Tree regeneration and vegetative species cover were recorded in 2005 and …